Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Back in 1997, no one was prepared for how deftly comic and dazzling Mike Myers would be as Austin, the swinging, time-traveling Sixties superspy, and as his hair-deprived archrival, Dr. Evil. Now the relentless renting of the first Powers flick has made Austin-and Evil cultists of us all. Fans react to Dr. Evil’s cat, Mr. Bigglesworth (the sphinx’s real name is Ted Nudegent), with the same fervor that Star Wars freaks reserve for Chewbacca. We are sooo ready for this sequel, in which Austin — in the first film he was defrosted into the Nineties zaps back to the Sixties and meets hottie Heather Graham, as Felicity Shagwell (“Shagwell by name, shag very well by reputation”). Yeah, baby, yeah! Kristen Johnston, of TV’s 3rd Rock From the Sun, plays the Russian spy Ivana Humpalot, and Rob Lowe fills in for Robert Wagner as the young Number Two. Give me a frickin’ break if you’re not hooked. In the season’s best trailer, Dr. Evil sits in a spaceship with Mr. Bigglesworth while a voice intones, “If you see only one movie this summer, see Star Wars. But if you see two movies, see Austin Powers.” Verdict: Audiences act accordingly. Myers gets the reviews of his life, and the box-office — maybe $200 million.